August 24: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

August 24, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1927, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The subcommittee on location of the Airport Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, headed by Harry F. Guggenheim, president of the Guggenheim Foundation for the Promotion of Aviation, is planning a preliminary survey on Friday of more than 50 sites which have been proposed for a Brooklyn airport, according to word received today. Following this initial survey more detailed inspections from both the ground and air of those sites not eliminated will take place. Among the locations being considered are the island areas along Flatbush ave. in the vicinity of Barren Island. The land included in this proposed site, about 800 acres, is now owned by the city.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1936, the Eagle reported, “MOSCOW (AP) — Sixteen confessed conspirators against the Soviet State were sentenced today to death by firing squad as the ‘highest measure of social defense’ of the government. For the first time since the Bolsheviks came into power, they ordered the death penalty for leaders who marched in the October revolution 19 years ago. The verdict handed down at dawn by a military collegium of the Supreme Court was expected to have widespread domestic and international reactions. The prisoners were declared guilty of having plotted with the exiled Leon Trotsky, War Minister of early revolution days, to assassinate Dictator Joseph Stalin and others high in the government and Communist party. They were convicted also of having brought about the assassination of Sergei Kiroff, chief aide to Stalin, at Leningrad late in 1934 or of bringing into Russia instructions allegedly from Trotsky for carrying out the terrorist plot. Trotsky from his Norwegian haven denied connection with the plot, but the prisoners admitted guilt and some named Trotsky as a colleague. All the prisoners’ property will be confiscated by the state. Arrest of Trotsky and his son, Sedoff, was ordered if either re-enters Russia.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “Increasing demand for tickets to the launching of the cruiser Honolulu at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Thursday has caused the yard administration to decide to open both the Cumberland St. and Sands St. gates to the ticket holders. Automobiles will be admitted only if special stickers issued for the purpose are displayed on windshields. This restriction is due to the small parking space available in the yard … Miss Helen Poindexter, daughter of Governor [Joseph] Poindexter of Hawaii, will be introduced as sponsor to the assemblage at the launching ceremonies by Rear Admiral Harris Laning, commandant of the yard.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1938, the Eagle published the following letter: “Have you seen Jimmy Roosevelt’s tax returns in the Aug. 27 issue of Collier’s? Just note his contributions! Out of a reported net taxable income of $79,523.04 for the three years 1932-3-4, Jimmy’s ‘contributions’ amounted to the astounding total of $372.50, or only one-half of 1 percent. Did you also see that his returns were stamped ‘not investigated’? Won’t that please the rest of us ordinary taxpayers whose returns are scrutinized with such care by the Bureau of Internal Revenue! Especially when we note the deduction for unexplained bad debts of $3,055 in 1932, the huge deductions for travel expense in each of the three returns and the other unexplained items.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “Improvements are under way on the grounds and 35 buildings of Creedmoor State Hospital, Queens Village, under the sponsorship of the State Department of Mental Hygiene. Crews averaging 300 men are at work on the modernization program, which follows other WPA projects and is scheduled for completion next February. They were undertaken in response to the acute need for better State facilities for the care of mental patients, stressed months ago by Governor [Herbert] Lehman in a message to the Legislature.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “The total population of the United States, including armed forces overseas, was about 157,015,000 as of July 1, 1952, according to estimates released today by Royal V. Peel, Director, U.S. Bureau of the Census. The figure represents an increase of 5,883,000, or 3.9%, over the corresponding figure for April 1, 1950, the date of the most recent census.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “Five jubilant Brooklynites were aboard the first three planes to reach the East Coast today with freed prisoners of war. They were the first local boys to arrive here since their release from captivity. The long trail from Freedom Village, Korea, to Brooklyn ended for Sgt. H.L Thompson of Myrtle Ave. today as he sped home from LaGuardia Field. While Thompson was climbing off the plane, three other Brooklynites were already in their homes, surrounded by jubilant relatives. They are Sgt. Pedro Pereira of Broadway; Corp. Leonard Chiarelli of Bushwick Ave., and Pfc. Steve Glowacki of Franklin St. … Also due today was Sgt. Calvin Royal of Sumpter St., whose mother, Mrs. Annabelle Royal, was waiting for him at LaGuardia ‘with a full heart.’ She said her son called her last night from California and she knew he was well. Throughout his captivity, Mrs. Royal said, her son wrote her that he was well treated and living for the day when he could see the Dodgers play another game.”

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Dave Chappelle
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Classical Gas” composer Mason Williams, who was born in 1938; “Fatal Attraction” star Anne Archer, who was born in 1947; “Ender’s Game” author Orson Scott Card, who was born in 1951; former NFL head coach Mike Shanahan, who was born in 1952; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who was born in 1955; former heavyweight boxer Gerry Cooney, who was born in 1956; “Three Men and a Baby” star Steve Guttenberg, who was born in Brooklyn in 1958; Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., who was born in 1960; Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin, who was born in 1965; Basketball Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who was born in 1965; “Selma” director Ava DuVernay, who was born in 1972; “Chappelle’s Show” star Dave Chappelle, who was born in 1973; “One Tree Hill” star Chad Michael Murray, who was born in 1981; former N.Y. Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, who was born in 1983; and “Harry Potter” star Rupert Grint, who was born in 1988.